Annual Dinner Keynote Speaker Named
| Bruce Storm, Editor | October 1997 |
Annual Dinner Keynote Speaker Named
"Founder and Co-President of Vera Bradley Designs, Patricia Miller, will be the keynote speaker for your Chamberâs Annual Dinner Meeting on November 6", reported committee chair Brent Dawes, American Express Tax and Business Services, Inc.
Ms. Miller and her neighbor, Barbara Baekgaard, first went into business together with "Up Your Wall" as wallpaper hangers. In 1982, on a joint family vacation, they commented on the sad state of their luggage. The day after their return, the two rushed to a fabric store with $250 each and bought loads of fabric to make luggage that would appeal to women. After ten minutes they decided that they had a company. They named their business "Vera Bradley" after Baekgaardâs mother.
By the end of the year, and thanks to a sales force of family and friends, they had grossed more than $11,000 dollars in sales. "We sent bags everywhere," Miller said.
Miller and Baekgaardâs philosophy is "you sell yourself first, your company second and your product third." Today Vera Bradley Designs carries more than 800 items in its product line and employs close to 60 people.
The company hosts the Vera Bradley Classic, an annual charity event benefiting the American Cancer Societyâs breast cancer research. The deaths of two employees from cancer inspired the Classic. Last yearâs event raised more than $175,000 and this yearâs surpassed $200,000.
Miller and Baekgaard like to maintain the small company feeling, a characteristic that made Vera Bradley an approachable firm.
"We feel fortunate to have Ms. Miller as our speaker. She represents a successful Indiana business that shows true entrepreneurial spirit," Brent Dawes commented. The committee recommends that those interested in attending the dinner meeting should purchase their tickets early. The deadline for reservations is October 24.
Chamber Member News
Saturday Sports Clinic now offered by WCH
Kevin Watson, Athletic Trainer for Wabash County Hospital, is the coordinator of a new service now offered: a Saturday Sports Trauma Clinic. The clinic serves athletes of all ages for the evaluation and immediate care of sports injuries. There is no cost for the clinic visit and immediate care, which is provided by an athletic trainer or physical therapist. If needed, an on-site consultation by an orthopedic surgeon will also be provided at no cost. However, there would be charges for any diagnostic tests or medical equipment.
The Sports Trauma Clinic is open from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. each Saturday and is located at Wabash County Hospitalâs Physical Therapy Department. No appointments are necessary as those athletes who come to the clinic will be seen on a first come, first served basis.
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Did You Know?
...That Chamber member businesses have the opportunity to distribute inserts in this publication? Yes, and very inexpensively. For only $25.00 for the first sheet (pre-folded) and $10.00 for each subsequent sheet, per mailing, you can reach the entire membership mailing list with information about your products or services. This benefit is for Chamber members only....That you can also buy mailing labels for a variety of lists and directories at 5 cents per label for Chamber members and 10 cents per label for non-members. Call the office with questions.
...ALSO, don't forget about those CHAMBER GIFT CERTIFICATES! You know, those good-as-cash (or check) certificates that are redeemable ONLY at Chamber member businesses.
For those of you who have never been presented with a Chamber Gift Certificate, they are yellow in color, and very closely resemble a check (because they are) drawn on a Chamber account. Just deposit them in your account the same as you would a check.
The certificates make great employee birthday, anniversary, productivity, etc. (use your own imagination) awards. Remember, they keep shopping dollars local!
October 26 - While people all through the United States will change their clocks back one hour, most Indiana and Arizona residents will keep their clocks the same.
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Welcome New Members
Maurice's
1305 North Cass Street
Wabash, IN 46992
Phone: 569-9119
Clothing Store
Think - Members First!We would like to remind all Chamber members to think MEMBERS FIRST! When you are in need of a product or service, remember to call upon a Chamber member business first.
Your membership offers a diverse group of companies that support the efforts of your Chamber and your community. If you think of doing business with Chamber members, doesn't it make sense that they will return the business when their needs arise?
If you cannot think of a company that can provide your specific needs, call upon the Chamber staff to help.
The following two articles are by Richard A. Feinberg, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Purdue Retailing Institute and taken from the publication "Purdue Retailer". Although Dr. Feinberg was directing the articles at retail businesses, as is often the case, they actually apply to any business.Go Back to the TopBecoming a UNIQUE Competitive Force in Your Market
Sit down...I have something important to tell you:YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING YOUR COMPETITOR DOES TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR MARKET.
You can do significantly less and be MORE successful and profitable. You cannot be all things to all people but you must be something to somebody. If you focus your efforts and be the very best at something to a particular part of the market you stand a good chance of being profitable.
I suggest you all read Michael Porter, Harvard marketing guru in the "Harvard Business Review" (Nov/Dec 1996). Porter describes a leap-frogging effect that occurs as new businesses open. He explains that when a new business opens to compete with an existing business the new business then meets the competition by adding those services and products. More businesses join the party and up the ante. Pretty soon everyone is offering all the same thing and the market is homogenized with the effect that consumers have great choices but there is no reason why a consumer should go to any one of the businesses.
The business has become a commodity. The products served in one are interchangeable with the others. Everything and everyone looks the same so the only way to stand out is to cut price. And we all know what happens when prices are cut--profits go down.
So what are you to do? You must become so good at something that no one can catch up. Be so startlingly good at one major thing that no one can match you. You then develop an array of activities and services around that thing you do well such that it gets even better. This means that you will have to stop doing some things.
Every business should strive to become so unique and outstanding in its market that what it does cannot be bought at other places and will not come cheap.
Having Fun is the Same as Business SuccessShow me a business where the employees have a good time and I will show you a healthy bottom line. Do you have a VP for Employee Satisfaction? If not, you should. Do you have a social director?. If not, you should.
Employees who are having fun and do not dread coming to work will not see their work as doing time. They will be more committed to your vision and your success than those who are bored. The time has come to tell employees it is all right to bring your sense of humor to work because you may need it. How do you do it?
The benefit of all this is that as your employees have more fun you will have more fun. As all have more fun the customer will have more fun. As the customer has more fun you will have more fun carrying the profit to the bank. Now that really is fun!
- Select fun people.
- Help your employees be successful.
- Cheerlead.
- Organize social events and internal fun events.
- Have fun yourself.
- Make a fun person responsible for developing fun in the business.
|
July 1997 From Manchester College Department of Economics and Business | |
| Economic Index (1985 = 100) |
119.0 |
| Total Deposits |
$550,708 |
| Employment |
17,330 |
| Industrical Electrical Sales (000 kwhr.) |
19,459 |
| Residential Building Permits |
15 |